The Cross River State Government has directed all civil servants in the state to resume work on Thursday or be sanctioned.
This follows an order from the National Industrial Court directing an indefinite suspension of the state’s industrial action declared by the NLC/TUC.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had embarked on a strike since Tuesday, 12 October over the non-implementation of the national minimum wage in the State civil service, lack of promotions, among its 14-point demands.
In a letter signed by the Head of Service in the state, Mrs Geraldine Akpet-Ekanem on Wednesday, she directed all state workers to resume work immediately.
She noted that all permanent secretaries, directors and other civil servants in all MDAs were to resume work at 8 am on Thursday as attendance would be strictly observed.
Reacting to the development, the state chairman of NLC, Comrade Ben Ukpebi, faulted the directive as he noted that the strike action would continue irrespective of the order from the Court.
According to him, “Such an order can not stand. We are going to Court tomorrow to also obtain a Stay of Execution order.
“They have not even interfaced with us to dialogue in our 14-point demands. Why should they force workers to return to work when the court order is not yet in their hands until tomorrow? Our strike action will continue.”
